Learn To Parallel Park Like A Pro
Parallel parking is scary. And not just to beginners - many experienced drivers never fully conquer their fears. But it is a very useful procedure to know: parallel parking is a big part of your driving test, and being able to do it will pay off more than a couple of times throughout your life. And you’ll look so cool as you easily maneuver your car into that small parking spot! It doesn’t matter if you’ve already tried and failed or if you’re a complete novice: with the right attitude and effort, you’ll be P-parking like a professional in no time!
In case you weren’t too sure, parallel parking is a method of parking where you park in line with the curb, in a straight line with other cars in front of and behind you. This is most commonly used in large cities where there are too many cars and not enough parking lots. It’s also a part of the drivers test in most states, so it’s a must-know. Some states, like Ohio, employ a maneuverability test - which is essentially parallel parking with traffic cones instead of other cars - so the same rules apply.
If you feel intimidated, don’t be! Start simple, and work your way up as you become more comfortable and confident in your abilities. Each person learns on their own timeline, so don’t tell yourself that you haven’t “got it” or that your hand-eye coordination stinks - you CAN do it. Keep practicing and the procedure eventually will become second nature. It does take time, but gets a little easier with every session. Before you know it, you’ll be maneuvering like a pro!
Got it? These are the guidelines for parallel parking:
1. Find a space that’s a few feet longer than your car that you feel confident about parking inside.
2. Flash your turn signal and drive up next to the car you wish to park behind so that your rear bumpers are aligned and you are 2-3 feet away.
3. Look into your side and rear-view mirrors, then check over your shoulder to make sure there are no cars approaching you from behind. Once it’s clear, hit the brake and put your car in reverse.
4. Gently remove your foot from the brake. When your car starts to roll backwards, turn the steering wheel all the way in the direction of the curb. The car should now be reversing towards the curb at an angle. (If you think the angle’s not working, you can always shift into drive and begin again.)
5. When your car’s rear is inside the space, spin the steering wheel all the way in the other direction to straighten your wheels.
6. Center yourself in the parking space so that you’re parallel and less than 12 inches to the curb. Shift into drive and adjust your wheels if necessary.. Voila!
You’ll have to adapt these rules to your situation, of course - the more space you have to park, the simpler it will be.. and vice versa. Also, there are variables like how sharply you’ll need to steer your wheel to get the correct angle, which all depends on your unique vehicle.
But back to basics: to build your confidence, you’ll need to start slowly and work your way up. Of course you’ll be nervous if you begin with trying to parallel park on a busy street! Here’s how we recommend starting; once you’ve mastered one level, move on up to the next:
- Try parking beside an empty curb in a quiet parking lot or street.
- Next, parallel park behind ONE car.
- Park between TWO parked cars that have plenty of space in between them. (You may wish to try this on a quiet street)
- Seek out cars with less and less space between them for your parking practice. Once you can successfully park in a spot that’s around 1.5x your car’s length, you’ve done it!
As complicated as it may initially seem, parallel parking is really just a simple series of steps that you will get the hang of with practice. So now that you’ve got the information, what are you waiting for? Go and master the skill of parallel parking!